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Superman Vol 1 380

"A Mind-Switch in Time!": In the present day, Superman flies into the time-barrier to investigate the nomadic routes of Neanderthal tribes at the request of Professor Lewis Lang.

What on Earth has happened to me? According to my reflection-- I... I have turned into a man! B-but how could that be? When I left Ma and Pa today, I was 16 years old!
— Superboy

Superman #380 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1983.

Synopsis for "A Mind-Switch in Time!"

In the present day, Superman flies into the time-barrier to investigate the nomadic routes of Neanderthal tribes at the request of Professor Lewis Lang.

In the past, Superboy has to leave for a Legion of Super-Heroes meeting. Clark Kent/Kal-El says goodbye to his parents and leaps into the time-barrier.

As streaking across the time-barrier, both present and past Clark selves come across a massive tear disrupting the time-stream. Seeing the gap is impossible to avoid, both Clarks decide to plow right through it as fast as possible, and collide with each other. Unfortunately, because no physical entity can simultaneously co-exist with itself at the same time, both Clarks turn intangible, merge for a fraction of second and repel each other with such a brutal, owerwhelming recoil effect they're hurled backwards and out of the time-stream. Superman lands on Metropolis and a barely conscious Superboy goes back to Smallville.

Pa and Ma Kent hear noises coming from Superboy's secret tunnel and find their son staggering his way towards the trapdoor. Superboy is laid on the couch and asked how he is feeling, but he doesn't dare to tell anything.

In the present day, the young Clark Kent in his adult's self body arrives in Metropolis. He finds the city strangely different, and he is shocked when he sees his own adult reflection in a window.

Across the city, some bystanders spot a man intending to jump off a building. Most of them are horrified, except for one guy who encourages the man to jump and get over it. He's promptly punched by Jimmy Olsen, who is witnessing the scene. All of sudden, a stranger lassoes the would-be suicide. As the stranger talks, his rope glows and the man feels his pain lessening and his relief increasing.

Somewhere else, Clark Kent is busy saving people. He has already guessed he and his adult self have somehow switched bodies. Suddenly his body instinctively gets drawn to adult Clark's apartment in 344 Clinton Street.

Meanwhile, Lana Lang is interviewing the man who nearly jumped off a building but is now feeling invigorated and eager to turn over a new leaf. The mysterious man who talked him out of suicide slipped away, unnoticed, but was intercepted by Jimmy Olsen.

Superboy has gone over adult Clark's scrapbooks and learned many details about his adult life, his job, his friends and family... and the fact Lana Lang is his co-anchor.

Meanwhile, Lana is talking to Perry White about her disappointing personal life. Perry, whose pet terrier was ran over the last week, is commiserating with her when Jimmy Olsen barges in Perry's office and ushers the mystery man in. The man introduces himself as Euphor and tells he has the ability to leech away people's unhappiness.

Euphor uses his powers on Lana and Perry, who feel happier right away. Perry asks for an interview right now, but Euphor is only interested in making a tv appearance.

Feeling delighted for first time in months, Lana decides to call Clark and have a chat over dinner, but Clark is away, stopping bank robbers. Superboy runs into Lois Lane after she's dealt with a would-be purse-snatcher and he tries to not let on, but Lois realizes something is amiss.

Later, Superman saves a kid from getting struck by a car. As speaking to the kid, Superman finds out he is a school reporter who wanted to ask Clark Kent for an interview and leaves disgruntled when Superman has to tell him that Clark Kent is out at the moment.

Young Clark flies off, shocked at his adult version being so famous. His curiosity piqued, he heads towards Galaxy Communications and slips in his office. Clark changes clothes and is having a poke around his office when Lana comes in to drop off his mail and remind him he owes her a dinner. Clark tries to hide his jittery reaction and goes along with her.

Somewhere else, Euphor is absorbing more people's bad feelings, eager for his interview the next day when he will turn the whole Metropolis' unhappiness into power.

Appearing in "A Mind-Switch in Time!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Euphor (First appearance)
  • Two Bank Robbers (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
  • Thief (Unnamed) (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

  • Smallville Times newspaper
  • Masma Blasters
  • Metrobrook News newspaper

Vehicles:


Concepts:

Notes

Trivia

  • Superboy states he's going to the 25th century for a Legion meeting. This is erroneus. The correct century should be the 30th Century.
  • Superboy states he was sixteen when he left the time-stream thirteen years ago, determining Superman's age at twenty-nine at the time of this story.
  • A footnote states the Superboy part of the story happens while Superboy is an active Legion of Super-Heroes member.


See Also

Recommended Reading

Links and References